The Mage and the Swordsman
by krystalMage
Summary: AU When Yahiko summons powerful djinn Battousai to steal the Sword of PaiMei from MasterMage Shishio, he just wants revenge, but Yahiko's vendetta turns dangerous as the power of the sword pulls them all into danger. Now Djinn and mage must unite or fall
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: When Yahiko summons Battousai, a powerful djinn, all he wants is revenge on Master Mage Shishio, by stealing the legendary Sword of Pai Mei but Yahiko's vendetta plunges everyone including Battousai and his best friend Kaoru into an adventure they had never thought possible. KK.

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me. Sure I kidnap the gang for my fics but that's about it.

**The Mage and the Swordsman**

**Chapter 1: Beginnings**

Somewhere in the halls of celestial beings, Heaven Level 2.0, a Benevolent Being sat staring into a pool with his faithful spirit hovering around. Looking into the pool, the being spoke.

"_It is almost evening in Silver City, why isn't anything happening Pookha? The Maker is busy fixing the mess left by those careless mortals. I tell you Pookha, they should never have been made. Were there ever such nuisances as these foolish mortals? No! Nobody knew what nuisances they were, that's why they got made in the first place, and now we…what? We can't play Rant against Mortals anymore? Why ever not? It's so last season? But Pookha, that is my favorite game, right after Continent Crash, and Weather Wash. The other gods banned it, did they? The brigands! They are jealous of my prowess in Rant against Mortals Pookha, they cannot stand that the Maker gave me a feather in appreciation of my skill in the Rant. What shall we do now, Pookha? _

_We what? Have a job? But Pookha, I cannot do jobs. That is why I became a god, so I need not have a job and so I may play the Rant, and Continent Crash and Weather wash. Pookha, you break my heart. Well what is it? What? Story duty? But, why Pookha? Why must I have story duty? Can you not give it to Winding over there, or Lazaraleen? _

_Very well. I will tell a story. But, look Pookha! Something stirs in Silver City; some grave event is coming to pass even as we speak Pookha! Why else will a human child no higher than you, make its way to the dark streets of the Thieves' Market. Look Pookha! He begins to glance about, he is afraid of someone following him. Holy jackanapes Pookha! A mage! He is a mage. What peril brings a mage to this quagmire, quickly Pookha; we must not lose track of him…what? Story duty…by the Maker's finger Pookha here is our story. _

_An apprentice-mage scuttling to the Thieves Market with the final stroke of the evening bells, surely some intrigue, some mortal mischief is afoot. Swiftly Pookha, fetch me my opera glasses! What? You left them at the opera? Whatever for? I broke them on Winding's nose? Well the upstart deserved it…snoring even as Zephyretta was singing my favorite canto. No, I suppose you are right Pookha. We cannot all be perfect. Divinity itself is marred sometimes, but, look Pookha. Our little mage begins to panic._

Had Yahiko heard the Benevolent being call him 'little mage', he would have bristled without doubt, however since Yahiko is a mage, thus human, and not even a proper mage at that, a mere apprentice, there is precious little he can do about the adjectives a certain celestial being chooses to use for him.

He stood at the corner of a dingy, dark and extremely suspicious looking curb in the Thieves Market. He had lied to his master and told him he was going watch the movement of the stars to update his lunar charts. His heart was thumping inside his shirt and he frantically looked right and left for a sign, a signal that his contact was here, or would be coming soon.

The cold was nipping into his shoes, by Merlin's beard he had never been this cold. He had been told that Iceman would be here with his merchandise. How long was he supposed to wait? His master would realize he had been gone too long and then the game would be up! Where, oh where was he? It was too late, too cold and too dark in this place. Yahiko started as a hand found its way to his shoulder. Before he cast a spell of protection, he realized his contact had arrived.

Yahiko turned to face him. He looked up and found his gaze moving higher, and higher, (goodness gracious, how tall _was_ he?) till he met a pair of ice blue eyes covered by jet black bangs of hair. The man was looking irritably at him. He cocked his head to one side and leaned back on the wall behind him. "You're the mage?" The disbelief and contempt in the voice was unmistakable. Yahiko threw his chin out, "yes, why is that so surprising, I'd like my things please, you have made me wait too long, I've been here for ages."

The man refused to move. He ignored his outstretched hand and continued to study his face. Yahiko felt nervous, his palms were sweaty and his collar was wet. Finally, after what seemed an hour, the man pushed himself off the wall and stood directly in front of him. He calmly pulled out a package from his coat pocket and handed it to Yahiko.

Yahiko eagerly checked the contents. "Are you sure this is it? The final incantation?"

"Yeah, this is it. Although what a pipsqueak like you is doing with it is beyond me. You ought to be flogged for meddling in such spells. Not only are you going to sink in trouble too big for your boots, I suspect your poor master will meet a worse fate. A kid shouldn't be messing with djinns; no matter how cool it sounds."

Yahiko felt rage as he had never before. His hand quivered and he glared at the man who stood before him. "I am not a child. I could level you and this entire block in one go if I so choose. You don't know the first thing about me, you incompetent fool!"

"Excuse me? Incompetent?" Iceman raised his eyebrows.

"Yes! Incompetent! You were supposed to be here at seven thirty sharp; instead you amble in at seven forty three, and expect me to consider your substandard service as competent? You have got to be the worst transporter I've ever seen! I don't understand where you got such a high-and-mighty reputation. You are so completely pathetic, you, you big lug!" Yahiko sputtered. His pitch and volume kept rising as he heaped insults on his contact.

The man's face did not change. In fact he hardly batted an eyelid. He simply kept staring at Yahiko. After what seemed a lifetime, he leaned forward and spoke, "I thought you were in a hurry. Get out of here before the real lowlifes decide to put in an appearance. A spindly apprentice-mage is just the kind of thing to make a Friday night seem lively," Iceman strolled away from the Fury standing on the curb, "unless you've forgotten, mages aren't welcome in Thief Market. Take your pampered rear back to Silver City, where you belong".

"I have no intention of remaining here. But before I go, I shall need your word."

"My word? For what?"

"When I have need of you, you shall come to me"

"Why, certainly Master, I live only to answer to you – have you lost your mind? Be thankful, I got you what you wanted without getting unpleasant and asking uncomfortable questions like 'does your master know'. Now go, get out of my face. I've had about enough mage I can stand for one day. Get lost." Iceman started to walk away.

"Stop! You must do as I say!" Yahiko called after him.

"See now here's where you make the mistake. You're confusing me with those pitiful sprites of yours that fly around doing your bidding. I answer to no one, get that in your thick skull before I play basketball with your head."

"You will answer to me…Aoshi". Yahiko calmly spoke the man's true name. Aoshi froze. He turned around and stared at him. His rage was evident in the way his fist clenched and his facial muscles tightened. He bit his lip and nodding his consent spoke in a terse tone, "how did you know?"

"I am a true mage Aoshi. It is my business to know." With that not-so-subtle barb the young boy briskly walked away, back the way he had come from, to the north where brilliant lights proclaimed the presence of a glittering city. Silver City – city of mages. This was the seat of governance where mages sat and ruled the rest of the land. The air hummed with magic and the throbbing caused by the clash of a thousand ki signatures. The djinn, sprites and faeries that were in the service of the various mages of Silver City remained alert and awake at all times. Their masters were impatient, insatiable beings. The punishment meted out for carelessness ensured that disobedience and negligence was the last thing that entered their heads.

_I am a true mage_. The power of a mage rose from his knowledge of the magical world and its entities. Within himself, a mage has no power. His power is derived from the djinn and sprites bound to his service. Servants are made through knowledge, Knowledge of the true name of things. The true name of a sprite or djinn gives the mage power over them. In this manner, the mage curbs the freedom of the djinn and bends him to his will, even though the djinn may be ten times as powerful, he can do no harm to the mage.

Only the more powerful and learned mages can afford to rein in djinns, the others make do with sprites and imps and faeries. Some mages even have to survive by commanding pixies. However, Yahiko had other plans. Finally, the struggle of years' worth of work would come fruitful that night. He would attain that which is impossible. That which had not been attempted by any mage in a hundred years would come to pass tonight.

He was ready. Ready to eke his revenge. Ready to show Silver City what he was worth. Ready to ground Shishio Makoto to dust. He was Yahiko and tonight he was going to conjure the greatest and most powerful djinn that ever walked the Eastern world. His task was such that it required a djinn of tremendous and invincible power.

He had spent years poring over his master's books, looking, searching for this being. And he had found him two years ago, ever since he had been involved in a maddening search for his name, and tonight he had it. Yahiko reached his master's house; he sneaked in without alerting him. He quietly ran up the stairs to the attic, one part of the house where his master would never venture.

Yahiko ran to the centre of the room, he pushed the table and rickety old bed to the sides of the room. Looking at the floor once again, he set down to work. First he drew a large circle, whose diameter was five feet; he repeated this action, drawing another circle touching the first one below it. Inside each circle he quickly drew a pentacle, double edging them, and including runes of containment in one and runes of protection in the other. In the centre point of the pentacle, he placed a purple crystal to bind the energies.

Checking the pentacles one last time, the young mage quickly lit four large candles placing them in the four directions, north, south, east and west. The incense sticks were lit and kept before each candle. Yahiko checked his bearings once more. Circles complete, steady and lines thick. Pentacles complete, no jagged edges or gaps. Candles check. Incense check. Perfect.

Time to rock and roll.

Yahiko stood in the centre of the northern pentacle. He touched the crystal once, then straightened and began to chant. He called upon the guardians of the wind, the earth, the fire and water to hear his plea and drive out the djinn that he called.

"Hear me, ye lords of earth, of water, of fire, and of wind,

By the mandrake root, and hellebore shoot,

By the runes of silver and Artemis' quiver,

I proclaim my mastery over one whom you harbor,

Send him forth by the force of his name,

Send him lest the heavens fall, dare he refuse.

Send him, I charge thee, to the keeper of his name,

Come forth now, I charge thee,

Battousai, Battousai, Battousai.

Come forth…Kenshin.

Exhausted, Yahiko swayed, yet never faltered, he glued his feet inside the pentacle. The pentacle was protected by his seal, stepping out would mean certain death. The djinn he had called had not been woken in more than a hundred years. To be so rudely awakened would naturally put him in a foul temper. Added to this fact was that the Battousai was among the most feared djinns he had ever heard of.

Yahiko was woken from his reverie by a giant cloud forming above the crystal in the circle opposite his. The cloud grew larger, and the force of the winds swirling in it blew all the candles out. The pitch black of the attic took over as the wind slowly ebbed. Yahiko could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing. Yet he did not dare even move a muscle lest he make a mistake and step out of his pentacle.

He tore his eyes away from his boots and forced himself to look up at the being he had sent for. Two molten, amber eyes stared at him, boring deep into him. The eyes seemed to slash away at his mental shields and invade his mind. Nervously he pushed that alien presence out of his head and remembered what he had set out to do. He looked away from the djinn's eyes to stare at his face and gasped. The djinn was the most beautiful, striking individual he had ever laid eyes on. His angled features, molten eyes, blood red hair combined with his lean frame and cocky stance were captivating. In spite of himself, he slowly reached forward, to touch its face, just to make sure it was real.

Thankfully for him, the djinn chose that moment to smirk, pulling his lips into a feral smile. Predatory. Yahiko came to senses with a jolt. A single step wrong and the djinn would gladly finish him off. His pentacle was the only thing that saved him since it bound their energies to its perimeter. He pulled himself together and spoke, with what he hoped was a majestic air.

"Djinn! I have called you to fulfill my heart's desire. You are charged with carrying out my will, no matter where it may take thee, and you are charged to…." Yahiko trailed off as the djinn first began to shake and then chuckle and finally throw its head back and laugh. The djinn laughed uproariously, it held its sides and bent over, still laughing.

Yahiko sputtered. "What are you laughing at? Djinn! I command thee to be silent…I command thee…." He lost his voice again as the djinn stopped laughing and instead fixed his eyes upon Yahiko.

"Oh please…don't let me stop that little…performance of yours, by all means continue, I had forgotten how utterly comical you humans are. Thank you _so_ much for refreshing my memory." His voice was like velvet, smooth and rich.

Things weren't going as planned. The djinn wasn't supposed to be talking except for saying "yes, master". Yahiko frowned. "Djinn! Be silent and hear my command. You are to follow my orders from hence forward and why are you laughing again?"

"Alright Shorty, where's your master? Where is he? The one who forced you into this circle and had you chant the incantation that called me out. You do realize that you are about to die, don't you? I don't want to keep explaining that. Where is he?"

"I have no master…I mean my master did not send for you. I did. I discovered your true name. I called out the incantation. I am your master. You must answer to me you must!"

"You expect me to believe that a child like you managed to summon me? Why are you shielding him? Summoning me is equivalent to tossing you to the lions. Tell me where he is, and I will make this easy for the both of us."

"Stop! I called you. Do you hear! You will obey my commands or you will perish! You are my djinn and I have summoned you. Now listen to my will and fulfill it, you must, you are bound by your name to obey me." Yahiko noted with satisfaction that the djinn had stopped smiling, there was no trace of levity left, the scales were tipped. The power of the djinn's name gave the young mage the right to order him to any task.

Battousai cocked his head to one side and studied the young boy standing in front him. There had to be someone else. No doubt about that. For what child, would dare wake him to summon him to do his bidding. There was nothing else for it; he had to see what the game was. He was bound to service by his name and he could do nothing about it. Fine, he would play along, do what he wanted and then punish the rat that made a mere child do his dirty work.

"Fine, what do you want? Hurry up and get it over with. I have better things to do than baby-sit you."

Yahiko drew himself out to his full height. This was it, the moment of truth. The moment he had been waiting for four years. It was here finally, nothing would go wrong, nothing could.

"Djinn! I charge thee to go to the house of Shishio Makoto and bring me the Sword of Pai Mei from there to do with it what I see fit."

**Author's Notes:**

What do you think? Read and Review por favore!


	2. Shishio and Yahiko

**Summary**: When Yahiko summons Battousai, a powerful djinn, all he wants is revenge on Master Mage Shishio, by stealing the legendary Sword of Pai Mei but Yahiko's vendetta plunges everyone including Battousai and his best friend Kaoru into an adventure they had never thought possible. KK.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Never have, never will.

**The Mage and the Swordsman**

**Chapter 2: Shishio and Yahiko**

_That fool Winding is simply unbearable Pookha! I plan to start a new game, since I can't Rant Against Mortals any longer I plan to Rant Against Winding, what say you Pookha? I am positive Lazaraleen will join me for sure. But back to our story Pookha!_

_Impressive, simply impressive. Who would have thought, Pookha… that the little magician had it in him to call forth one of the most troublesome djinns in the Other World? Oh but I hope the magician has enough magic in him to counter the mischief Battousai is capable of unleashing in this world. Pookha, are you not surprised? Yes, of course you should be, but I wonder Pookha, what will become of all this? The Sword of Pai Mei is not a tool to be trifled with. The soul and heart of Pai Mei himself is sealed within the sword, anyone who handles it must be prepared for the worst. Aye Pookha, something tells me things are going to get very interesting in Silver City. I haven't had this much fun since the French Revolution when those magicians hired the djinns to tear through Versailles…but look, Pookha, Battousai seems incredulous. I hope he doesn't break into another fit of laughter; the little mage is almost spent with the effort of staying in his pentacle. _

Battousai waited. He had heard what the boy had just said and he couldn't quite believe his ears. But the boy said nothing more. He already looked spent with the effort it taken to summon an entity such as him. In fact, Battousai noted with glee, he had to perhaps stand here another ten minutes and this foolish boy would be lying in a heap on the floor, fortunately not even inside the seal of the pentacle that repelled his power. So he stared, watching the boy, wondering what possessed a mere child to dabble in powers much beyond him. He waited for him to collapse.

But it wouldn't happen. Yahiko swayed on his feet but remained standing. The djinn was watching him with careful eyes, not missing a beat. He hadn't moved a single muscle. Yahiko groaned inwardly. He had read that some djinns liked to play mind games; they would push a magician's buttons till the mage lost his temper and made a mistake like stepping out of the pentacle or placing a curse on the djinn for which he had not the energy. Magic was a matter of the mind more than anything else. A magician must know and stay within the limits of his magic.

No mage could summon a djinn or spirit whom he could not control. No mage who overstepped his own magical ability had ever survived; the price for calling upon more magic than what you were made of was terrible, to be lost into the abyss separating life and death. A deathly numbness from which nothing could summon you back…nothing. Yahiko shuddered. Knowing the true name of a spirit always helped, however, the older and more powerful djinns found ways to play with words and twist language in a manner that they would be freed of the constraints on their power placed by the pentacles, and spheres of mages.

If this was the djinn's game, then he was lost. He did not have the stamina to stand any longer. He could feel the trembling in his knees. He could not sustain his mental shields if the djinn decided to venture into his mind. No! He could not, he would not fail now. Failing now would mean an end to the promises he had made to himself four years ago. Failing was not an option. Yahiko pulled together every last ounce of strength left in him, drew himself to full height (sadly, it was still not anywhere near enough to match the djinn) and spoke in the most imperious tone he had heard his master use.

"Djinn! What are you waiting for? Have you not understood your task? I have charged you to bring me Pai Mei's sword and then to await further instruction from me. Now go! Or do you want me to write it down for you". This last bit was said with a sneer. Battousai snapped out of his reverie and glared at the boy. Yahiko gulped. The djinn's eyes were terrifying; they had changed from the deep violet they had been a minute ago to shining, golden eyes that reflected the djinn's rage at being forced into obedience.

In spite of himself, Yahiko looked down to check the spheres. The djinn followed his every move, and spoke haughtily,"Humph! It would be an insult to my name to finish you off, boy. Though you deserve certain death for being so bold, I will not sully my hands with the blood of an apprentice. Perhaps when you have become a mage, we will meet again. And then, I shall not be so gentle."

Having said this, the djinn departed, but not before giving Yahiko a glimpse of what he was about. Battousai leisurely closed his eyes once and when he opened them, the fierce winds that had accompanied his arrival came back, this time tearing at Yahiko's hair, his clothes and face. The wind made clawing movements across his skin, Yahiko yelped as needles of icy air tried to pierce his skin, the candles were tossed away by the force of the wind, Battousai swirled round and round till he was nothing more than purple smoke, he circled Yahiko once, then sped away out of the skylight, snapping the latch shut after him. The deafening roar of the wind died away, all was still. Yahiko swallowed and gingerly stepped out of the circle. He was panting; summoning Battousai had drained him of energy entirely. He took one more step and collapsed onto the floor.

His head was pounding, every muscle in his body hurt. The djinn had been stronger than he had expected, even with the barrier on his sphere and a protective shield surrounding his own, he had managed to nudge his way into his mind. Yet fortunately, the djinn hadn't penetrated any deeper than the outer recesses of his consciousness. Perhaps he should be thankful that Battousai hadn't thought he was worth the effort of plunging inside his mind, and learning everything there. Battousai had merely poked his mind, so he had focused all his energy into keeping his shields up so he wouldn't be able to come any closer. Yahiko swallowed and let out a ragged breath, his heart was in his mouth. He knew how close he had been to losing everything. Battousai was notorious for being ruthless; he obviously was still very puzzled and surprised with the whole situation, which was why he hadn't been even a fraction as nasty as he could have been. His pattern through the ages of his existence had been to play with the minds of mages, he would taunt and tease and force the mage either to spend more magic than their bodies could take or step out of their circles, only to be cleaved by Battousai's sword. Had he been of age, he doubted Battousai would have been as careless with him.

Yahiko stared at the floor underneath his face. The wooden boards were worn, he had made the attic his sanctuary, his turf, and here he was safe, but no longer. He didn't know how or why but he doubted anything would remain as it had before. Somewhere in the knobbly corners of his mind, a tiny voice told him, summoning Battousai had been a mistake, a very big mistake. Yahiko groaned in agony. He could not remember a time, save one, when he had felt so miserable. As memories of that incident flooded his head, Yahiko bit his lip and tried to blink back angry tears that had forced their way out.

It had been a normal day, a day like any other. But it had changed the course of his life.

_His master had called him early that day. As he made his way down the stairs and through the hall, Yahiko wondered what the matter was. Master Hoji didn't send for him at all in the mornings. The only times he met and studied with his master was when dusk had fallen. His master was a nocturnal creature; the blue-black bags under his eyes were testimony to that fact. A cautious, calculating and cold man, he relished in putting Yahiko down whenever he found even half the chance. Hoji was not a pleasant man to be around and certainly not a pleasant master. Yahiko was miserable with him. He was accustomed to rebukes and belittling comments and Hoji had never believed in sparing the rod. Yahiko had not always been so serious. He had been a happy, boisterous pupil but his master's stern temperament and propensity to find something wrong in everything he did, gradually weathered away all traces of the happy, carefree child he had been. He was now a model pupil, sharp, attentive, solemn, and silent. Hoji had no patience for real talent, perhaps because he was a hocus-pocus magician himself. He couldn't stand seeing a spark of genuine talent in any other especially not Yahiko. Thus, Yahiko had long since reined in his urge to ask questions. He knew he would never find the answers to them from Hoji in fact all he would receive would be a rap on the knuckles or a box around his ears. _

_As he made his way to his master's study, Yahiko paused a moment to check whether his appearance was satisfactory or not. Nails…clean and cut check, clothes…neat and ironed check, boots polished and gleaming check…hair…well there was little he could do about it, no matter how hard he tried, it would stick out every way. Taking a deep breath, he silently opened the door about an inch, then a little more, poking his head in, he asked, "May I enter, Master?"_

_The study was a large room on the first floor of the house. There was a lab opposite to the study where the magician practiced his craft, summoned spirits, made potions and the like. The study itself was impressive to the layman; but compared to the chambers of other magicians it was ordinary. Shelves groaning under the weight of books rose all the way to the ceiling. On the ceiling was a mechanized lunar chart, the painted moon moving in time to its real counterpart in the heavens. At one end of the room there was a huge glass window, taking up almost the entire wall. Sunlight streamed through this window during the day illuminating all the dust-covered books and papers randomly tossed about. In the centre of the room, an old, worn oak desk kept his master's most recent and important documents. There was a leather chair behind the desk, upon which his master was sitting now. There was also an armchair in front of the fireplace; it was worn and very comfortable. The fabric soft from years of use, an old rug was thrown over the seat. _

_His master slowly nodded his head, his eyes not leaving the paper which he was perusing at the moment. Yahiko silently entered, walked to the desk and stood in front of his master, waiting for him to speak. Hoji continued to read, completely ignoring the boy standing in front of him. Yahiko took a deep breath and fidgeted a little. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, in that minute Hoji looked up. He frowned. Yahiko blanched._

"_Can't you stand still for one moment? I am almost through here. It is just my misfortune to be saddled with an unruly apprentice like you!" Hoji was irritated. Couldn't the brat give him a moment of peace?_

"_Well now that you're here, I might as well tell you why I've called you." Hoji stood up and walked out towards Yahiko. He stood facing the boy, and stared down at him, the pale light of the morning was obstructed by storm clouds outside. "Today is a very important day for you, boy, and for me. Today some of my colleagues and friends shall be visiting and they will expect me to present you, my apprentice. Pay attention to what I'm saying now boy, it is vitally important that you do not make any mistakes, because every mistake you make shows and reflects on me. Understood?"_

"_Yes sir. I will not let you down Master; I'll do my best "_

"_Your best is not enough. A nuisance, that's what you are, but today everything shall be perfect, or I may need to get very, very unpleasant…do you understand boy?" _

_His master never called him by his birth name. Nobody was supposed to call him by that anyway. Children who possessed magical abilities had to give up their past - including identities, names, habits…everything. They were not allowed the use of any name apart from that of their master till they came of age and were given a new name that was recognized and registered by the officers of the King. For a mage, there is hardly a more important ceremony than his Naming. A name means a rebirth as the mage is reborn, with his abilities and power to join others of his kind in governing the vast land of which Silver City was sovereign. So he was 'boy' to his master and 'sir' to the servants. It was forbidden to even think about your old name, your birth name was to be guarded jealously and kept in great secrecy. The obvious reason being that your name granted power and control over your essence. Hostile magicians and spirits would give anything to learn a mage's true name. Which is why, it was ordered that the birth name of a mage never be revealed to anyone. _

_However, exceptions always existed. Mages often told their true name to friends whom they trusted with their lives. It was the measure of love and loyalty amongst friends and lovers to tell each other their true names; however such a decision should not be made lightly. Yet Yahiko had. The first time he had met Kaoru, his best friend, he had told her his true name. Kaoru was the first person who had seen him as a person, not an apprentice. She had been concerned about him, wondering why he never laughed or smiled. She took it upon herself to act like a normal child again. Yahiko never felt awkward in her presence, he could tell her everything and not feel scared that she wouldn't understand. Because Kaoru understood, always understood. She had been overwhelmed and stunned when he told her his true name. In turn, she told him hers, Kaoru. They both went by their masters' names, he by Hoji, and she by Seijuro._

_He had been shocked to learn that her master was none other than the King of Silver City, Hiko Seijuro. Archmage Hiko Seijuro was an imposing, charismatic and impressive man. He wasn't king for nothing. Yahiko had no doubt he could probably twirl mages like his master around his little finger without so much as sighing. He had seen him only once but it had been enough. That Kaoru was the apprentice of a man such as him was a source of great pride for him. Whenever he was lucky enough to see Kaoru, he would pester her to tell him about the Archmage. Sometimes Kaoru would tease him that the only reason he spoke to her was because of her master. She could not understand the emptiness, the disappointment and numbing lack he felt, knowing that he could never learn any true power from his master. Hoji was a magician who relied on tricks, potions and abracadabra. The true knowledge of the runes, the spheres and the movements of the heavens were beyond him. _

_As he stood in front of the mirror, silently combing his maddening hair, he thought about the mages he would see today…perhaps there would be somebody very important. Perhaps he would get to talk to the guests and ask them questions. Oh how he wished Kaoru were here! But she couldn't be. The Archmage was hosting a grand dinner party for foreign mages tomorrow and so he would be spending time overseeing preparations and instructing Kaoru regarding protocol. Kaoru had told him when they had met last three days ago. Apprentices were usually sent to buy supplies for summoning and other magic, since the task could not be entrusted to commoners. That's where he and Kaoru would meet and talk. _

_Yahiko sighed and looked at the clock with the broken face on the dresser. It was almost time for his master's guests to arrive. He smoothed his clothes, readjusted his ties, checked his shoes, hands and nails. He was very, very nervous. As the clock hands turned to five, the doorbell rang. The door opened and he heard a bustling noise, a commotion of many voices speaking at once and suddenly a hush, someone very important must've arrived. The sounds of voices continued once again as his master ushered everyone into the formal parlor. _

_Presently, a servant came to fetch him downstairs. Yahiko's hands and knees were shaking, his palms felt sweaty and cold. He paused before the door but the servant pushed him in. He stumbled slightly but quickly regained his balance. He looked around. The room was filled with mages, and not one looked familiar, in fact they all looked downright unpleasant. He was still staring at them when he remembered his master's words. He bowed and greeted each one politely. When he was finished Hoji came forward, putting an arm around him uncomfortably, said, "This is the boy."_

_Yahiko felt like a piece of meat on display as every eyeball in the room swiveled towards him and began inspecting his frame. _

"_Humph! Doesn't look like much. Not very sharp is he?"_

"_No…not very."_

"_Looks healthy. Bet he costs a fortune, eh Hoji?"_

"_Bed, board and what with the prices…"_

"_Greedy is he? Aye some boys are."_

"_I'm not greedy sir!" Yahiko could take it no longer. Those pompous brutes sat there and criticized him for no reason. He was a lean boy, where did they get off calling him greedy? And the man who said he didn't look sharp? But what was stinging him the most was the fact that his master was not even pretending to defend him. A master is supposed to be a shield for his apprentice but Hoji had thrown him to the mercies of these men. Yahiko could not defend himself without seeming rude. _

"_My! What a tongue he has! I'm amazed you do not take the rod to him!"_

"_You won't get very far with attitude boy, you should respect your betters."_

_Yahiko hung his head, feeling dejected. He had wanted to make a good impression but these beasts weren't worth that effort. He felt a swelling in his breast and looked away. And then he heard his voice. A voice that would haunt him for the next four years. A rich, powerful, imperious voice, calm and confident in its position, the voice of Master Mage Shishio Makoto._

"_Your apprentice intrigues me Hoji. He does protest all too much but let me see if all that protestation is really worth anything or not. Come here boy!" Shishio Makoto commanded with an easy air. He was one of the three Master Mages of Silver City, his power matched only by two others, Kogoro Katsura and Shogo Amakusa. Save for the Archmage Hiko Seijuro himself, there was not a mage in Silver City who could stand up to him and win. A man like him made no friends, only sycophants and enemies. Master Hoji was too weak too even consider risking enmity with Shishio, but he was counted as his biggest flatterer. Behind his back, the other mages called him Shishio's tail, following him wherever he went._

"_Tell me, what is the cardinal rule to be observed when summoning a spirit?" _

_Yahiko looked at Shishio's smirk and a sudden rage filled his heart. He would not be humiliated. He'd show them, he was neither lazy nor greedy or dull either. _

"_That the spheres be locked and binded and the pentacles display the runes of commandment."_

_Shishio said nothing but the mages sitting around him looked at each other in a flurry. An apprentice his age should never have been able to answer that question. Summoning and its rules were permitted only after an apprentice turned twelve, four years away from majority and Yahiko was only ten. _

"_What does a mage require to complete the incantation of suppression?"_

"_To complete the incantation, the mage requires the spirit to be present and contained within the swirling pentacle so that its essence does not escape. Further the mage must wear an element that is harmful to the spirit so it fears the mage and…" And thus, the examination continued, Shishio kept asking Yahiko tricky questions yet Yahiko thwarted him every time by answering correctly. _

_Out of the corner of his eye, Yahiko observed Hoji looking very pleased with himself. He frowned, thinking, why are you so happy? You taught me nothing; I learnt all this by reading. Those towers of books that line your study, I've read them all. Kaoru taught me the rest, you…. you did nothing. _

"_And what are the words of commandment?" _

"_Shishio! For the love of peace man! There's no way he can know that!" A mage standing at the back of the room spoke up. "Be quiet! He will answer…won't you, boy?" Shishio was glaring at him, frustrated that this mere boy was cramping his style by answering ever damn question he asked, and correctly! _

_Yahiko took a deep breath; Kaoru had told him this just the last time they had met. If only he could remember the correct sequence of the incantation. Shishio smirked. Yahiko strained his mind but he couldn't remember. Damn it! What was it! Shishio began to laugh. "Nothing more than a parrot! I could teach my imps to do better!"_

_Slowly, everyone began to laugh; Hoji quickly came forward and roughly pulled at Yahiko, angrily telling him to leave. But Yahiko resisted his attempts to expel him from the room, and stayed glued to his place. He was staring hard at Shishio, causing the magician to turn around. He seemed amused at Yahiko's impotent rage and made a final gesture dismissing him. _

_As they all turned away from him and began to talk amongst themselves, Yahiko softly spoke the words of the incantation. His voice floated out, gently puncturing the bubble with which the mages surrounded themselves, making them stop, turn and listen to him. _

"_Il Nome, Ricerca, Bloccaggio, Convoca, Si lega_."

The deathly silence in the room was music to Yahiko's ears. They all looked stunned. They were amazed at what had just happened. Yahiko had proved himself! Yes! It had finally happened. He had never felt such pure joy as he felt when he saw their gaping faces watching him in amazement. And then, it was over.

_Shishio yawned. "Standards must have dropped since I last checked. Surely it's no great feat to memorize one incantation from a thousand. Go on boy; go back to your books, looking at your face drains me of mirth."_

_Yahiko's face burned with insult and rage. He tossed all caution to the wind and spoke, "You're just jealous, you can't stand another mage being as good as you!"_

_The minute the words let his mouth he realized his mistake, Shishio was notorious for his foul temper. He frowned and his eyes narrowed. Yahiko felt trapped by his angry stare, he turned and ran to the door but it was too late. Shishio had already spoken the words of binding, and Yahiko stood rooted to his spot. Shishio then raised his hand and clicked his fingers, at his call, two spirits came forth and flew at Yahiko, tossing him up in their scaly arms twirling him round and round in the air, he felt sick to the stomach, as the whirring of their wings grew even more frenzied. He could see the room with the mages, some shocked, some indignant, some outraged, yet not one of them came to his aid. He knew not how long Shishio kept him in the air, all he felt at that moment was a terrible loneliness, his master had not stood up for him, Kaoru was not there to protect him, he was all alone and in the line of Shishio's anger. _

That was four years ago, yet in that moment, everything had changed, he had changed, he had vowed to avenge this wrong. He would summon the greatest djinn he could find and punish Shishio Makoto for this insult. That time had arrived. Battousai was bound to his service and Battousai would now orchestrate his revenge. He just didn't know it yet.

**Author's Notes**: Did you like it? Please read and review. I've noticed I have like 10 hits but only 4 reviews, c'mon people; give this struggling writer a little something to go on!

**Rishin** – Thanks for reviewing. Dungeons and Dragons, eh? Well it's somewhat similar but not exactly, yes wording and language may be somewhat like that but the world is very different, for example, unfortunately no dragons. Not in this fic at any rate.

**Jeez** – Hugs! Thanks again for reviewing the fic, you're the best!

Read and Review people!


	3. The Heist

**Summary**: When Yahiko summons Battousai, a powerful djinn, all he wants is revenge on Master Mage Shishio by stealing the legendary Sword of Pai Mei but Yahiko's vendetta plunges everyone including Battousai and his best friend Kaoru into an adventure they had never thought possible. KK.

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me. Sure I kidnap the gang for my fics but that's about it.

**Rating:** T just to be safe. For language and violence.

**Dedicated to Rishin who waited the longest for this chapter. Rishin, I hope you like this and that it makes up for the delay. **

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**The Mage and the Swordsman**

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**Chapter Three: The Heist**

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_I have had it with that Winding Pookha! He is the scab of my eternal happiness. Each time I try to get some private alone-time with Lazaraleen, that nincompoop has to show up and cramp my style. If only the Creator would send him sublevel, the boys down low would show him what's what and teach the old lout some manners! What? I digress? You are too cruel Pookha. I am trying to tell you of my woeful existence and all you can think of is the story. Very well then, the Battousai has been dispatched to Mage Shishio's home, to steal the legendary Sword of Pai Mei. But he is unaware of the dangers that await him in that magician's lair. Beware Battousai, beware._

Battousai knelt on the rooftop of Yahiko's house. Sure he had left in style; with torrential winds blowing and tearing at the little mage but that had only been to scare the little twerp so that when he returned with the sword, he would know better than to harp on the fact that Battousai was bound to his service. No djinn likes to be reminded of his bondage, and he was no exception.

He silently surveyed the scene in front of him. All the houses in Silver City had two storeys, the ground floor made for the business of everyday life, and the attics for summoning magical entities. Battousai sneered at the identical houses all over the city. Mages had to be the most unimaginative and conformist human beings he had ever set eyes on. They followed a pattern in everything they did, their houses, their dress, their food, and even their behaviour. In a city full of houses that looked alike, he had to find the right house and steal an artifact that meant trouble from the word go.

He looked up at the sky, it was pitch black. It was the night of the new moon, there were no stars shining in the heavens. He guardedly looked around once more, and then quietly slipped off the roof, landing gracefully on the street below. Taking care to walk in the shadows he quietly made his way out of the area. He was moving in the direction of the citadel where the Archmage's palace and buildings of governance were situated. The Sword was a very precious item; needless to say, the mage who had it in his possession would be a very important person too. Important mages lived as close to the leader of their order as they could. They wouldn't feel safe otherwise. Another reason why he hated mages, spineless, the lot of them.

The closer he got to the citadel, the harder it became to dodge the minor djinns that served as guards for the city. The houses were getting larger, huge mansions set amid sprawling grounds, and the sentries had also increased. It was difficult to walk down one street without dodging or decapitating any sentry who got too diligent on the job.

Battousai melted into the shadows as two pixies on sentinel duty, flew towards him, his powerful ki attracting them to him like moths to a flame. His ki was very strong since he was taking no measures to mask it. Although his mission required stealth, camouflaging his ki and trying to knock out each djinn, imp and pixie would prove to be too tedious. He relied on the fear that his ki aroused in minor magical entities to keep them away. The ones that wouldn't, fools as they were would fly straight towards him, allowing him to take them out one by one, without the effort of hunting them down himself.

He walked into an empty courtyard, he was almost there. Another two streets and he would be standing in front of Makoto's house. As he padded noiselessly through the square, a watch squad of seven pixies flew into it. The neatly formed line shook out of formation violently as they felt the full force of his ki. The pixies scattered all over the courtyard, guarding the exits. The chief pixie, the one who seemed to be in charge, blew a shrill whistle and all the pixies stop moving and instead focused on pinpointing the source of the power. They craned their necks and strained their large eyes to find him, but Battousai had melted with the shadow-play of the streetlight and unseen to their eyes, stood in the middle of the courtyard.

Smiling he threw off the veil of darkness that made him invisible to the pixies' eyes. Startled at suddenly finding their prey alone and within reach, the pixies began to charge at him from all directions. The first one dove towards him with all his might, swinging his club even as he chanted an incantation to strengthen his blow. Battousai stopped the club with one forearm, and sent another pixie sprawling across the ground with the other. He didn't want to waste much time here, he could easily take them all out with a single ki blast but he had a gut feeling that whatever was waiting for him at Shishio Makoto's house would take all his power and ingenuity to get out of.

He didn't want to use anymore ki then was necessary. He bent his head and loosed his katana in its sheath with one flick of his thumb. Two pixies were down and the five that remained huddled together, clutching their weapons and watching him, their eyes burdened with fear and confusion. _Feh, not a decent fight in any of them, this is cramping my style_.

He tossed his hair over his shoulder and looked contemptuously at the quivering quintet.

"Listen carefully. You can all spare me the embarrassment of having to fight you by running away right now."

The pixies bristled. One answered, "Run? What, us? Us, run? We're not scared of you!"

"No? Then you dumber than I thought."

"Hey! You stop that! You can't stand around our part of town and talk about us like THAT!"

Battousai smirked. He casually stretched his arm, and then reached behind his neck, rubbing it gently. "You're wasting my time, get out of my way".

"Why, you impudent fiend! Let's get him boys; he can't get away from the five of us!"

The two pixies on the right charged together, swinging their swords out, aiming for his heart. Battousai bent his head and adopted his battle ready position, his body tensed with the thrill of being in combat once again. As the pixies tried to drive their blades through him, he pulled his katana out of the sheath, cutting a wide arc and bringing them both down. The other pixies watched, flabbergasted, it had happened so fast they had hardly the time to comprehend what they saw. Snapping out of their reverie they circled him, only to be cut down by his katana. The dust that had formerly been the pixie squad was blown away by the wind.

One tiny pixie remained; he had not been of the squad. He was merely a straggler, a house servant of some mage who had remained outside past his orders, there would be hell for him to pay when he reached his master's home however, the sounds of the fight had drawn him to the courtyard. He silently slunk away to fetch more of his kind so that this demon could be punished. It didn't take along for him to gather a sizeable number. Pixies are by their nature very shortsighted. They didn't pay attention to the young one's description of the djinn that had laid an entire squad to waste; instead they rounded together every lowlife pixie and imp they could find and flew towards the square where the djinn had been. His ki was enough to guide them to his whereabouts.

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Battousai swiftly moved out only to realize fifteen minutes later that he had taken a series of wrong turns and was quite hopelessly lost. He found himself back in the square where he disposed of the pixies. He frowned and propped one hand on the hilt of his katana, as he silently surveyed the two streets that forked away in different directions in front of him. He sighed and looked up at the sky, cursing the child mage and his luck. _Of all the djinns in the magical rift, he just had to summon me, the little twit. I swear the minute I bring him that stupid sword, I'm going to make life hell for him. I could curse him. How many curses am I left with anyway? Well, I must have enough left to give Mr. Smarty-pants hell. Perhaps I should give him perpetual acne. He's probably started thinking of girls. _Battousai chuckled_. Yes, a forever-pimply face will do him a world of good. _

Delighted with the mental image of the mage's face covered with pimples, the djinn looked around with renewed interest. His delight didn't last very long. The buzzing from at least thirty minor ki energies began to grate on his nerves. He easily identified where the interference was coming from and where it was headed. Apparently the pixies wanted another fight. He groaned. Normally this would have served as entertainment but right now he had a job to do, and he was sick of interruptions.

He quietly turned and began to walk towards an alley. There was no other way to do this, it was too late and he wasn't interested in wasting any more time fighting substandard trash. The pixies spotted him and chased after him, eager for the fight.

He waited patiently as the pixies summoned more of their numbers. He stood at the mouth of a one-way alley; no way of escape behind him, and was soon surrounded by an entire unit of pixies, some swinging their flat clubs, other smashing their huge fists together with menacing faces. Slowly the din began to rise as they issued challenges to him, drunk by the strength of their numbers. _Idiots_, thought Battousai, _they really think they stand a chance against me, just because they've decided to ape some badly thought out battle formation. I didn't realize standards had dropped so low since I was last out. _ Battousai cocked his head to the side and stood watching them. He raised his left hand, the first two fingers of his hand pointing skywards while the other two fingers joined his thumb, channelising his ki, ready to blow them all to smithereens.

He bent his head slightly, gently summoning the core of his being; the small army of pixies surged forward. He raised his head, his amber eyes gleaming in the dark, as he finished chanting and sent a blast of ki towards them, wiping them all out in one fell stroke. The pixies crumbled away like dust. The alley was silent once more. The djinn melted into the shadows again as he leaned against an unlit doorway. He could make out the name 'Shishio Makoto, Councillor' inscribed with golden letters on the black marble of the walls surrounding the mansion on the opposite side of the street. He exhaled slowly. It was time to cut the cute stuff and get serious.

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The street was flooded with light. Imps were stationed a hundred paces apart. Overhead, he could see pixies flying around, still oblivious to the near carnage perpetrated a couple of streets away. He had immediately camouflaged his ki and taken on the guise of his element – air. It would be a risk to cross the street and get into the mansion even with his disguise. Shishio was a Councillor, which meant that his home was guarded by more than just pixies. He had no doubt that the master of this house probably had an able djinn or worse hidden away somewhere on the premises.

Battousai smiled. Well whatever it was, he could handle it. Throwing one final glance around the street, he disappeared into a puff of gray smoke gently floating in the air. The wisps of smoke tentatively spread out and moved through the barrier. Once on the other side, the smoke lifted up and formed itself into a hazily shaped figure. He'd had to use magic to melt through the barrier but somewhere; someone must have been alerted to his presence. He couldn't fight while he was smoke; the going was too slow and too dependent upon external winds.

The lights were turned down in this section of the mansion; he scurried across the lawn and vaulted neatly over a wall at the back of the house to land in the kitchen garden. Shaking the last remnants of his smoky shape away, he stood in his true form for a second before slinking away against the wall. He listened for any sign of movement. Nothing. Confident that he had landed in the right place, he moved away from the wall and swiftly ran up to the house, crouching low among the herbs as he detected a hostile ki approaching. It was a pixie. The djinn swore under his breath and swiftly drew his katana out, felling the minion with one stroke. He'd just about had it with pixies tonight. The door was left ajar; he gently stepped through, not disturbing the movement of the door as it shut with a click.

He was in a long hall, floored with rich carpet, soft and downy. His sandaled feet sunk into it with every step. To his annoyance, he didn't have the time to appreciate the richness of the paintings or the splendour of the hall; he was after all, a connoisseur of beauty. He stopped dead in his tracks, breaking out of his reverie immediately. Up on the ceiling, he spied a small imp seated on the chandelier. He was camouflaged to look like one of the glass flutes that held candles but he was actually an imp. Right now his back was towards the djinn, he would turn soon and the game would be up.

Battousai counted. One…. two…. three. The imp turned to face northeast. One…two…three. The imp jumped again, this time facing east. Battousai took a deep breath, he had a space of six seconds to run past the imp and make it to the door at the end of the hall. He bolted, faster than a blur; he sped up the wall on his left, across the ceiling, landing east of the imp just as it turned south. Not waiting to see if he had made it, he moved towards the door, muttered an incantation to open it and shut the door firmly behind him.

Bull's eye. He had inadvertently landed in the very place he was looking for. The lair of the dragon so to speak. Though a puny human mage was hardly worth being compared to the lords of the skies, the analogy would hold for the present. The air was heavy with the weight of incantations and trapped magic. As he looked around the room, he saw magical beings, big and small, powerful and weak crowded together in the crevices of the walls, holding up the shelves, twisted to look like pieces of furniture. The wild and violent clash of ki signatures tore at the walls, struggled to break free yet was unable to do so. The will of the Mage Shishio Makoto kept them all in check.

Kenshin marveled at the power of the human. All these beings at his beck and call, they were far more powerful than he yet they obeyed his orders, carried out his commands and bent their heads to his whims. He turned away from them with a look of disgust. He had no time to think about them, his own troubles were enough. He swept his gaze over the contents inside a cabinet. Nothing. He opened the wardrobes and cupboards lining the study. Nothing. He reached behind the books on the shelves and groped around but found nothing but dust and cobwebs. Obviously, this Shishio wasn't too keen on reading.

He turned up the rugs and cushions kept on the sofas, stamped his feet all along the carpet for any hidden places, he probed the chandeliers for cloaking spells. Nothing. There was nothing left in the room. He dragged his hands through his hair in frustration. Where is that damned sword? Just as he was about to leave the room, he noticed a small alcove that housed an ancient suit of samurai armour. He recognized the make of the armour; it was of the fashion of the time when he had roamed the earth freely, when he wasn't bound to the service of mages. It had been a time when he had soaked his soul in the blood of revolution; in exchange for his eternal soul he bargained for strength and magic to fight for those he had sworn to protect.

He blinked as memories of a forgotten time threatened to capture him. Shaking his head slightly he moved towards the armoured suit. The humming of magic grew louder and more intense. The Sword was here. It had to be, there was nothing else in the room that would seize the magical barriers so forcefully as that which the mage wanted to keep secret. He stood directly in front of it, the faint filaments of ki energy surrounding the armour alerting him to the presence of the artifact inside.

The signature was so strong he knew it had to be a trap. He smiled. This was it, nothing else for it. He straightened his shoulder then firmly extended his hand towards the suit. He winced as the force of the ki bit back into his arm. He opened the armour suit and inside resting peacefully was a sword, set in a masterly sheath of ebony inlaid with silver. He grabbed the sword, and quickly secured it at the hip. For some strange reason it felt right, as if it recognized him.

Kenshin hurried as every minor djinn, imp and pixie inside the room began to shriek alarm signals for the more powerful beings he had sensed earlier before entering the mansion. He struggled with the door that had suddenly gotten jammed. He pushed with all his might and found himself out into the same hall he had entered from. This time however he was not so lucky and the imp sitting on the chandelier saw him directly. The imp raised itself and issued a powerful blast of ki. Kenshin quickly unsheathed his katana and deflected the blast away. Than running full speed, he dodged the pixies and imps that were pouring in from every direction when a singularly strong ki blast tore a hole into the wall he was standing against.

_Damn, I know this ki._

"Kenshin"

_Oh no, not you. Not now. I'm so close to escape, not now._

"Kenshin"

He ran wildly, back, in the direction of the study. The necessity to get away from the entity behind him had become a bigger priority. The blasts kept raining down on him, and he dodged them madly running as nimbly as he could. He looked around as he came to a staircase. He started to run up the stairs when a ki blast tore the entire staircase away. He clung to the stair he had been standing upon just a second before. Dangling from the broken piece of concrete he twirled, desperately trying to retain his hold. He looked behind him.

The floor of the hall was littered with debris. But the figure that stood in the middle seemed oblivious of all the chaos and confusion around him and merely smiled. It was a cold smile of motion where the muscles merely lifted the corners of his mouth. It meant nothing and it meant everything. Its owner was a slightly built boy, his stance relaxed and confident. He slowly made his way to the foot of what had hitherto been a staircase and looked calmly up at Kenshin.

"Ne, Kenshin, I hope you're not too uncomfortable up there. Don't worry. I'm coming to get you."

Kenshin scowled, and burst in motion. He swung himself up on the ledge, and began to run down the corridor towards the eastern wing of the house. He heard his rival djinn swear behind him and felt the reverberations of the blasts once again, as he got back to work. Kenshin raced down the corridor and chose a random door; he hurriedly opened it and swept in. Slamming the door shut behind him, he muttered an incantation of blocking and sealing on the door; it was impenetrable now. He paused to catch his breath, panting gently as he leaned against the door.

He slowly turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Well well well, if it isn't Battousai." The djinn sitting at the table, carelessly scrutinizing his nails spoke.

"Saitou" Kenshin's fists clenched. _Awesome, this keeps getting better and better._

"How've you been?" Saitou turned his gaze towards him lazily, as if they were neighbours at a tea party.

Kenshin shrugged. "Been ok. You?"

Saitou shrugged. "Ok."

"Aa. Well, it's really great to see you again but I have some really important business to take care of, so see you around!"

"Oh what's the hurry? It isn't everyday I catch the grand Battousai stealing away from…."

BOOM. The door shivered with the force of the ki blasts being emptied into it.

"Oh, you've upset Soujirou. He hero-worships you. Couldn't you at least have said hullo?"

BOOM. The door shook like a withered leaf; all that was holding it up was Kenshin's spell.

"I…"

"Stay a while Battousai. This is far from over."

"What do you want Saitou!"

"For starters, you can give me back that sword."

end of Chapter 3

**Author's Notes**

Thank you everyone who reviewed this story! You guys make it all worthwhile!

Read and Review!

Arigatou


	4. The Escape

**Summary**: When Yahiko summons Battousai, a powerful djinn, all he wants is revenge on Master Mage Shishio by stealing the legendary Sword of Pai Mei but Yahiko's vendetta plunges everyone including Battousai and his best friend Kaoru into an adventure they had never thought possible. KK.

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me. Sure I kidnap the gang for my fics but that's about it.

**Rating:** T just to be safe. For language and violence.

**Dedicated to Shiro-san! **

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**The Mage and the Swordsman**

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**Chapter 4: Escape**

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_Stop it Pookha! Give me back my chocolate covered gnats; yes they were a gift to me from Lazaraleen. I will give you one if you are good. There now, come on Pookha, give them back._

_I was afraid something like this might happen Pookha. After all, the path to a successful robbery isn't going to be smooth just because you're a djinn and powerful. The Battousai is in worse trouble than I had expected. Something tells me that those other two djinns down there, yes both of them in fact are going to give him a very unpleasant time. But I'm delighted Pookha! Nothing works better to shake off boredom like a nice, rough djinn fight. What's that Pookha? Oh don't worry! Those stupid mortals wouldn't realize what's going on even if you appeared in front of them and told them. Yes Pookha, I'm not jesting, that's how stupid they are. Our djinn is in quite a bind Pookha. And he doesn't seem too pleased at the moment, but we must wait and see what happens_.

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I glared back at Saitou. The bastard had a knowing smirk plastered on his face. He knew perfectly well that he had the upper hand. It was his turf and he knew I had nowhere to run. He also had a very effective fight partner on the other side of the barricading spell (the door was already on its way to timber heaven, the spell kept the illusion of the door alive. Dead as a door, or was it dead as a doornail?). It was time to start thinking and reveal the incredible smarts that had been the reason why mages all over the world started shaking when they heard my name.

Then again, that was part of the trouble. The truth about mages, the embarrassing reality they don't want anyone else (commoners, that is) to know, is that they have very little actual sense or brains. We djinns know. It's inescapable. Since we're the ones doing all the work, we have to know. The paramount and ingrained absurdity of a mage is something we become aware of each time we are rent out of magical rift. It's like a dull annoyance, like the buzzing of a fly near your ear. All said and done, fooling a mage is an elementary task.

Fooling a djinn however, is an entirely different story. (And this djinn was the most aggravating of the lot). I had to do something fast. Saitou wasn't one to stand around all day while I searched for my way out. Whatever I came up with had to happen quickly and had to happen now. There was no more time to lose. I slowly edged back a step. Saitou noticed but pretended he didn't care. He bent his head to light a cigarette. He had retained a taste for them even after all these years. I waited.

The attacks on the door hadn't ceased. The only thing I could comprehend from Soujirou's unreasonable and persistent attacks was he was frustrated beyond bearing. The Soujirou I remembered was deadly, precise and completely unruffled. I don't recall him losing control even once in all the time I've known him. If Soujirou was getting irritated, then I definitely had something to worry about. It meant that this mage was more trouble than I had originally given him credit for. Soujirou, at least, was completely in his power.

BOOM.

Saitou scowled. "Soujirou! Give it a rest already! You're hurting my ears!" The explosions stopped. Saitou's lips began to curl into a smirk, but he never finished the expression.

BOOM

BOOM

The door began shaking once more as Soujirou renewed his efforts. Saitou dropped his cigarette and went back to scowling and muttering vicious curses under his breath.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

Oooo-kay. How very amusing. I had forgotten how entertaining watching Saitou squirm in annoyance could be. So I made a huge point of showing how hard it was to keep my laughter under control. Sure enough, Saitou was soon scowling at me. This might just work. If I manage to fluster Saitou, I had a chance of making it out relatively unhurt. It was something I hadn't thought about before but if it works it would give me enough time to escape without Scowly and Smily cornering me. It would be all right. I could get of here, if I played my cards right. And then, there would be nothing stopping me from teaching that miserable bag of bones a good lesson.

I dropped the battle ready stance and casually sauntered over to a side. Saitou kept his distance, taking two steps in the opposite direction. "You haven't changed a bit have you? Never know when it's best to let go. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself all the time. It's alright to step down and relax once in a while." I remarked offhandedly.

"You haven't changed either. If I remember correctly, you had been preaching about something or the other the last time we met too." Saitou sneered back. If I ever wondered why I never looked him up after the last job we did together, I had my answer right here. Trust Saitou to be unfailingly nasty about every small thing.

"Let go of the sword Battousai. There's no way you can leave this room in one piece if you don't."

"No? Are you sure about that?" I smirked back.

Well we'd see about that. Fighting Saitou was the last thing I wanted to do, but if I had to, I wouldn't back down. But there had to be a way out of here that didn't involve me getting cut into ribbons by Saitou. Which would happen, inevitably. There were very few djinns in the rift that could lay even a scratch on me, let alone match me stroke for stroke. It was just my rotten luck that Saitou happened to be one of them.

Although how a djinn of Saitou's caliber ended up here, reduced to acting as a slave to a mage, was what puzzled me. Saitou was powerful, very powerful. He was a force to be reckoned with not just because of the strength of his magic but also because of the strength of his soul. When he had been a mortal, Saitou had been unfailingly true to his cause, his ideals and his brand of justice. When he became a djinn, that strength of character merged with the power of his magic and made him almost invincible. Or so I had thought. Obviously Saitou wasn't the all-powerful entity I had believed him to be since he was, as it appeared, bound to a mage's service.

"Hand the sword over to me, Battousai. You will then tell me the name of the mage who charged you to steal the sword from here. Is that understood?" Saitou calmly held his hand out.

I gaped at him. "Of course it's not understood! You've got to be joking!"

Saitou sighed. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this," he drew his sword, "but you leave me no choice." He turned to one side and when I least expected it, he threw a ki blast in my face. I jumped up in the air and attached myself to the ceiling. He released a small ball of fire from the palm of his hand. I flew away from it and threw a small ki blast of my own at him. He dodged it easily.

I landed on the floor and somersaulted behind a table. Looking over the edge, I spotted Saitou leaning against the couch. "This is futile, don't you think? It doesn't matter what you throw at me, it is never going to connect."

"Is that so? I'm willing to take my chances. I've never seen a djinn move as slowly as you did just now. I could easily get you." He raised his hand once more as he spoke.

"Of course", I spoke snidely, "you can take all night and throw ki at me but it won't accomplish anything apart from destroying whatever's left of your master's house. Speaking of which, I didn't know you were in the market."

"Be quiet Battousai." He snarled back.

"Aa. Hit a raw nerve, have I? I'd hate to be the cause of the mage getting nasty with you Saitou." I peered over the table once more. Sure enough, Saitou was fuming. He lowered his hand suddenly and smiled. Wait a minute, was he smiling? Uh oh. Not good.

"Very well Battousai, how about we settle this the old-fashioned way? Only swords, no magic. What do you say?" His feral smile grew. He stepped out from behind the couch. I followed suit.

Crouching slightly, he stretched one hand till it reached the tip of his sword. It was his favorite stance. Any second now he would spring, and there would be hell to pay.

Oh no, here it comes. Saitou charged towards me, the sword in his hand shimmering as poisonous charges of electricity pulsed within it. I dodged just in time and drew my own sword. Spinning on one foot, I brought my sword down hard upon him but he blocked my attack. He shoved me back using the flat side of the blade. He slashed once again; I jerked my head back and watched the tip slide past a millimeter away from my neck. Saitou rushed forward again and again. I danced around the room trying to block his attacks but he still managed to nick my arm.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck!

The explosions outside had stopped. Soujirou was probably standing with his ear pressed to the door, trying to figure out who was wounding whom. (Probably hoping that Saitou finish me off with one jolly cleave. That child has no sense of delicacy). There was nothing else for it. I couldn't defeat Saitou like this. The room was too constricting plus the clamoring ki signatures in the air meant there were a least fifteen minor magical entities inside the house that would soon arrive at the door beside Soujirou, all screaming for my blood. Seventeen against one was hardly fair. Although if push came to shove I could…. correction…. would _have_ to take them on but if I could manage to escape that situation I would.

The reverberating clash of blade on blade and our ki signatures was deafening. I had to end this quickly if I wanted to get back to the four-foot twerp who had sent me here in the first place. As I blocked another attack by Saitou I realized that the floating sentries outside in the garden had all gathered at the window on my right to watch. Soujirou hadn't remained idle all this time; he was standing beyond the door, chanting a counter measure spell to cast off the barrier on the door. He would be inside soon, in a matter of minutes.

I cast a glance towards the windows again. Wait a minute! There were two windows in the right wall that looked out onto the lawn. The pixie sentries and imps crowded one, leaving the other wide open! This was it! I pushed Saitou away and sent a sizeable ki blast his way. His eyes widened with shock. I had never been one to play dirty but times change, and so do djinn. The force of the blast threw him across the room. He slammed through the wall and landed outside, embedded in the wall of the hallway.

I removed the barrier from the door and jumped out of the window on the far side of the room at the same time. The glass shattered noisily and the pixies screamed in anguish, realizing a second too late that their quarry had escaped from under their noses and there was nothing they could do about it now. I bolted across the lawn and scaled the wall even as I felt Soujirou's ki following closely behind me. Soujirou let another blast loose. Damn! I wasn't going to make it! Suddenly I felt a stupendous jarring; Pai Mei's sword shook violently as the full force of the blast landed on its sheath. Soujirou stopped in shock; the sword had completely absorbed the attack.

I sped away, quickly scaling the wall, leaving Soujirou to stand and stare after me with his mouth open like a goldfish. Once out, I ran through the streets till the mansion was no longer visible. Camouflaging my ki, I transformed into smoke once more and curled around a sickly looking puddle of water in the park. It was pitch black and there was no one else around. I was safe, and Soujirou was terrible at ki tracking. It was over!

So I nestled against the brackish water of the puddle. It wouldn't be long before they came out to look for me in droves. Thankfully, the fight with Saitou had ended before things got serious and I had escaped, so I had nothing to worry about even if they emptied the mansion out to look for me. Space and time were on my side. Dawn was a few hours away and when it came, the Sword of Pai Mei and the ensuing clamor over it would be someone else's problem and I would be on my merry way home. Soujirou and Saitou were the only djinns in the mage's service. They were trouble enough but I would be fine as long as I just had to run. Fighting either of them wasn't something I relished.

It wasn't as though I was scared of them. Honestly, what is there to be scared of? We are all djinns. They can't kill me, or destroy my power. Djinns are spirits. The purest form of substance, which cannot be destroyed, no matter what one does. It is impossible to destroy matter. This is not to say that we cannot be harmed or hurt. This is where the mages come in. Djinn gain draw their powers from the four sacred elements with which the world is made – earth, air, fire and water. An element that is harmful to us will sting our essence and erode it. For instance, I am a spirit of the air. The air is my element.

_"Humph! Is that the reason for your colossal imbecility back there?"_ A voice floated out of nowhere. I resisted the urge to bolt. Slowly, very slowly I returned to my original form, and looked around. Nothing. I looked down the path. Nothing. I peered through the leaves of the trees. Nothing…except for a few fat pigeons. There was nobody around me. There was no one inside that park. No humans. No mages. No djinns not even a pixie.

_"How long are you going to sit in this tree like a rodent?"_ There it was again! Where the hell was it coming from? Could it be another djinn? No, that was impossible! There was no way anyone could get into my mind without my permission. So who's voice was it?

_"This is beyond disgraceful. It's absolutely unbearable. I cannot believe I'm going to have to put up with the likes of you. And you call yourself a high and mighty djinn!"_

I jerked my head up and down. I looked in every direction, craning my neck, squinting my eyes to focus upon something, anything that I had neglected the first time. Nothing.

I took a deep breath. Something stank. "Who are you and what do you want?"

I kept my voice steady but in truth I was flabbergasted. I could detect no magical presence anywhere near me, apart from the sentry pixies who had started flying out towards me. I wasn't even concerned about them. Saying that I was a little concerned because a disembodied voice was speaking to me, would be an understatement.

_"Who am I? You miserable blockhead, do you mean to tell me you don't realize who has been speaking to you so far?"_

"Hey! It isn't every day that a voice from nowhere tries to chat me up."

_"I see. Not only is your swordsmanship stilted and rusty but your brain seems to be gathering dust as well."_

"Just who the hell are you? Stop wasting my time and show yourself!"

_"I've been in your sight ever since you picked me up."_

"What? I picked you up? What are you talking about?"

"_For a swordsman, your senses are abysmally dull. I am here, with you. How can you not realize who I am?"_

I felt strange. There was warmth at my hip. The sword! The Sword of Pai Mei was glowing. The silver embellishment was shining softly. The dark ebony of the sheath gleamed. The wood seemed to hum slightly as I lifted it up and held it up in front of my eyes.

_"Do you recognize me now?"_

"This can't be true."

_"Do you recognize me now?"_

"You…. can't be."

_"I can. This is I. This is Pai Mei. Lord and master of all swordsmen."_

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End of Chapter 4

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**Author's Notes**

Well, I hope you liked it. I am so sorry I took forever to bring this chapter out. Read and review please.


	5. The Sword of Pai Mei

**Summary**: When Yahiko summons Battousai, a powerful djinn, all he wants is revenge on Master Mage Shishio by stealing the legendary Sword of Pai Mei but Yahiko's vendetta plunges everyone including Battousai and his best friend Kaoru into an adventure they had never thought possible. KK.

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me. It is the creative work of the inimitable Watsuki Nobuhiro.

**Rating:** T just to be safe. For language and violence.

**Dedicated to Shiro-san! **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. You guys make it all worthwhile!**

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**The Mage and the Swordsman**

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**Chapter 5: The Sword of Pai Mei **

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_Pookha! Could it be? Yes! It really is him! Pai Mei has been turned into a sword, or rather been bound inside his own sword. I wonder who might have done it. And isn't it strange that none of us knew about it? Battousai can hardly believe his ears and eyes. It's really too much for one djinn. But he shouldn't get too cocky. Pai Mei's temper is merciless._

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_This is I. This is Pai Mei, lord and master of all swordsmen. _

I gazed spellbound at the sword in front of me. The wood gleamed softly as the silvery light of the stars fell upon it. I looked up at them, feeling lost, confused and even a little angry. Damn it! Why me? Why now of all times? The weight of the sword suddenly seemed greater than it had been since I escaped from Shishio's home. Then, it had been a nuisance, an errand I had been forced to undertake, a task allotted to me by the power of the mage who knew my name. But in the space of a few hours it had become so much more than that.

It was now an essential part of the world to which I belong. It was no longer just a sword; not just a weapon but it represented something far greater. It was Pai Mei, the greatest swordsman to have ever walked the earth. He was the man who had become immortal, as immortal as his legend, the master, the beginning and the end. Pai Mei was the first of the great sword masters of the Golden Century and the only one whose name had not been tarnished by defeat or decline. His immense skill had no rival and his strength and speed had never found a match. He had won the unconditional admiration and favour of the gods. According to the legend, known by heart to every child and young man who ever dreamt of being a swordsman, the gods themselves had forged him a sword from their steel. It was a blade that would never rust with time nor blunt its edge; it was a weapon that would forever be deadly. This was the weapon I now held in my hands.

I swallowed haltingly. My breath seemed to stick in my throat so I coughed once or twice. Gripping the sheath tightly, I gently pulled the sword out. The blade hissed softly as it slid past the metal mouth of the sheath, softly whispering a long overdue greeting. The sword gleamed in the light of the moon and the stars. I tipped the blade forward, letting the moonlight crawl slowly across it. A sliver of light ricocheted off the blade and shone upon the bark of the tree. Shadows seem to swirl around in the dark puddle water on the ground.

None of this meant any good for me. Pai Mei's appearance in the form of his own sword, a sword that was currently being fought over by mages, could hardly mean a walk in the park for me. My troubles had just been added to, and there could be no consolation for that. All I had to do was take the sword to the little mage and I would have been free but now, the visions of freedom and a swift return to the magical rift were drifting further and further away from me.

The most immediate problem however, was the manner in which I was expected to address Pai Mei. The sword was Pai Mei and Pai Mei was the sword, no doubt about it and for now, that was my biggest problem. The trouble with legends is that they become very difficult to deal with when you neglect to do them the proper honour. Now here's the tricky part, the proper honour of course varies according to the honoured entity in question and the one giving that honour.

So, the question still remained, was I supposed to bow my head and kneel before him, accepting him as master and lord (and saying inanities like 'Most Exalted and Fearsome lord of the sword') or could I avoid the act of swearing fealty altogether? Fealty is such a risky thing to get into and it makes one do stupid things, such as volunteer (good lord!) to fight someone's battles for them. And I never resorted to doing stupid things, not if there was some way to get out of it.

"_Cat got your tongue?"_ Pai Mei's dry voice floated out into the night. The sword seemed to shimmer as the disembodied voice spoke. I frowned slightly. The world has gone mad; does nobody remember their manners anymore?

He was trying to provoke me. It's the oldest trick in the book. I ignored his quip and slid the sword back in its sheath, leaned forward and set it upright against a branch of the tree. Settling back at arm's length, I leisurely folded my arms across my chest and regarded Pai Mei carefully.

I replied. "I'm thinking." He was sadly mistaken if he thought he could order me about. After all, I am the Battousai, one of the most terrible djinns that ever existed.

"_Far be it from me to criticise your glacial pace_."

"I don't like to rush into things." I retorted. Nasty old man, won't stop criticising even though he's no longer in his true form. If there was ever a reason why I never opted to return to my old master to complete my training, here it was! Masters are same the world over. Brash, sarcastic, misanthropic, and whiny.

"_Advance with caution when faced with a stranger._ _The fifth rule from the Code of Conduct. But to apply the rules when faced with your liege lord is somewhat unnecessary, isn't it? It is strange. You haven't yet committed yourself in my service. As a swordsman, your loyalties should lie unconditionally with me."_

I pursed my lips together and stared back squarely at the sword. "You are right, as a swordsman my loyalties lie irrevocably at your feet, but I am not merely a swordsman. I am a djinn. While a swordsman has an easy task of swearing fealty, negotiating a djinn's loyalty is slightly more complicated."

I could feel the sneer in Pai Mei's voice as he replied. "_Djinn or not, as long as your weapon of choice is a sword you remain a swordsman. And if you are a swordsman, you belong to my realm, and you owe me your loyalty."_

My blood boiled with anger and irritation. I have never tolerated being treated like a slave or vassal. I was exasperated beyond bearing with the little mage already without having a sword tell me what to do.

"I am Battousai, and I owe nothing to anybody! My loyalty is not so cheap, that it may be bought so easily by a voice that floats on the air!" I snapped back at him.

The sword quivered in anger. I could feel the waves of fury emanating from its aura. If it were possible, it would have struck me soundly for my daring.

"_Insolent whelp! Do not forget who it is you are speaking to! Even in this form I am more than a match for the likes of you."_

I ground my teeth. Like I didn't know that. "It is your form that worries me." I shook my head inwardly. I couldn't lose focus now, not when I was so close to losing Shishio's minions far behind. I forced myself to relax. Lifting my arms above my head, I bent backward. My hair touched the ground. The muscles of my back were bunched and tense. I was weary and the argument was not helping my predicament.

I lowered my arms slowly and sat cross-legged. "I do not understand. How did you get trapped in your own sword? Who would have had the skill to defeat you and trick you like this?"

The sword's light dimmed slightly. I leaned forward, persisting although my senses were telling me to back off. "Tell me what happened."

The sword pulsed into movement once more. It shook, the tremors seemed to pierce through the air and shoot across the small distance between us. I felt the shield of my aura singe with Pai Mei's fury. I flinched and inadvertently lifted my arms to shield my face against the overwhelming heat that was springing from the sword. Little black sparks of electricity raced across the sword and sheath, they spoke for the black mood of the soul trapped inside. The wind tore through the leaves of the tree as though it understood Pai Mei's anger.

Glancing away from the sword, I muttered an incantation under my breath. Instantaneously, a cold breeze engulfed me and the silver flames leaping from the sword were quelled. I heard a snicker. Pai Mei was laughing at me.

"_Well, you aren't completely useless. You can defend yourself when the need arises."_ The sword seemed to have forgotten its black mood and was trying to be humorous. Or so I thought. I scowled and clenched my fist in anger.

"_Never before has anyone dared to question me. To hold me ransom, to demand answers of me in exchange for loyalty is blasphemous! Loyalty that is mine! It is promised to me by your decision to be a swordsman. Djinn! You are my vassal. You must do as I bid."_

I swiftly rose to my feet. I knew my eyes were blazing; they were hot. I felt as though they were on fire. The swirling wind that had accompanied my appearance in the little mage's house returned. I had not felt such anger and irritation in centuries. There was a reason why the Battousai was such a feared spirit. I was not a man to be trifled with, I had never been one. In the days when I was still human and had not yet shed my mortal coil, my reputation had been forged on the strength of my skill and my integrity. I believed in a brand of justice and valour that was written by the blood of the men I had vanquished. I had laid waste thousands of men who were evil, who exploited those around them and whose cruelties had become unbearable. I was a revolutionary. The principles of our war had been precious to me, so much so that I sold my own soul into slavery to create a better world.

How could I bear to be treated as though I was no better than a simpleton who had found a rusty sword in his father's attic and decided to be a paper samurai? My swordsmanship was real. The wounds I had sustained on my soul and the punishment that was exacted for the lives I had taken were real. They were not imagined, they were not the ramblings of a man lost in drink or intoxication. I could not sit and be mocked at, even though the perpetrator was none other than Pai Mei. The legendary swordsman may well be the greatest swordsman to have ever lived, but I was the Battousai. And I would kow-tow to no one.

"I must? I must do nothing! A curse upon your stubborn head! You are consumed by your own tale. Your legend has destroyed what you were. You boast and claim loyalty but cannot justify why that loyalty should be given to you. You're hankering after false pride even now, when you have nothing to be proud of! You have been reduced to a plaything for mages but even so, your stubborn pride hasn't worn off!"

The sword dimmed a bit more. The light was waning. I turned away in disgust and slammed my fist into the tree, sending tremors through it.

"I asked to know nothing more than what is my right. If you ask me to serve you, I must know what I am putting myself into. Is that so unreasonable?"

Pai Mei didn't reply. Perhaps he was thinking about what I had just said or maybe he was thinking about how to get back at me for screaming at him like that. I would've waited for an answer if there was any chance of receiving one. But old habits die hard, and I doubt Pai Mei would begin to behave any differently simply because I threw a tantrum. There was really nothing to do. The scouts following us had lost us; they had probably flown further ahead. We were safe for now. Considering that, I decided to try and ask Pai Mei once more.

I seated myself across him once again. Pointedly staring at the sword, I asked, "Why are you trapped inside your sword?"

There was an eerie silence during which neither I nor the ghostly voice of the sword spoke. We both waited patiently for the other to speak first. I looked at the sky overhead. It was becoming lighter. The sun would rise in a few hours. I glanced sidelong at Pai Mei. The sword was silent; it did not even hum or move. I gave up this line of questioning since it had absolutely no effect on the sword and looked at the sky once more and affected a huge yawn.

"It's alright if you don't want to tell me. It's almost time to leave anyway. And once the mage has you, my work here is finished and I can go home. In fact we're lucky the djinns following us haven't found us yet. If they do however, I will leave you behind."

The sword bristled. "_What did you say? Ungrateful dog! I saved your life in that mansion. You would have been ripped apart by the force of that blow had I not absorbed it. Is this how you repay me?"_

Seeing him so riled gave me a strange sense of satisfaction. I stared back at him smugly. "Aaah yes. I remember, so that was you? I was wondering what on earth had happened to Soujirou. He's not one to throw ki askew. Come to think of it, he's probably on his way even as we speak, to take you back to his mage master."

"_Take me back to his master? I refuse to return to that place."_ Pai Mei retorted.

I smirked. "Why, didn't you enjoy your stay there?"

The sword was silent. I looked around cautiously. I could sense a couple of very faint ki signatures on the breeze. I leaned forward, stealthily peering through the leaves to look upon the path below. Two pixies were pushing their way through the bushes, searching carefully as they went along. They hadn't thought of looking above into the trees as well, so they passed right under the branch where I sat with the stolen sword. I tensed for a few moments but relaxed when the pixies flew away beyond his sight.

Turning slightly to the right, I picked up the sword, and secured it to my hip once more. I checked my surroundings for any stragglers following the pixies, then leaped off the tree and began to run across the park. I spoke a word of command and lazy plumes of fog sprung from the air and enveloped me. The hazy fog would shield me, making me invisible to the human eye. Only someone with powerful ki detecting skill would be able to see me now.

The sword spoke softly, _"Djinn! Where are you taking me?"_

A high wall crowned with iron spikes rose before me. I slowed enough to glance around checking for witnesses. But there was nobody to be seen. The world was asleep. Nobody was around to see me vault over the wall to land on the other side. I was close to the little mage's house now. Soon the sword and Pai Mei's arrogance would no longer be of concern to me and the mage would have to deal with him in the way he knew best.

"I have been charged with the task of bringing you to a certain mage. We are now going to his house."

"_A mage! You asinine apparition! You are delivering me to a mage! A puny, supercilious, moronic conjuror that throws incense on fire and chants absurdities!"_ Pai Mei sputtered with anger.

I grinned. The sweet taste of vindication. "Any reason I shouldn't?"

The sword was silent once more. I strained my ears to hear him but Pai Mei did not speak. I heaved a sigh of relief. I wasn't going to be drawn into any trouble concerning Pai Mei after all. After all, there was nothing I could do for him unless I knew what was happening. I wasn't idle; I had other things to take care of, like making that insufferable mage forget my name and let me go. If everything went well, then I could hope to be out of the mortal realm as soon as I handed over the sword to the little mage. I raced towards his house, leaping over houses, racing across shadowed streets consumed by these thoughts. The murky darkness of the night was lifting. The sky was steadily turning lighter. The streets were visible; I could see without drawing upon magic.

I stopped abruptly when the road forked off into two. I had taken a different route to return; nothing seemed familiar. I stood there for a few moments, trying to remember he road to take. I couldn't recall anything! I turned to look behind me but there was no one following us. Swearing softly under my breath, I dug my fingers into a pocket inside my sleeve. I groped about till I found a small leather purse. I pulled it out unceremoniously and flicked the strings open.

I tipped it over and watched as the golden grains of sand filled my palm. I shut the purse and shoved it back into my pocket. I strode towards the fork in the road and stood at the vertex. I closed my eyes and recalled the mage's face.

Slowly, his face materialised in my mind, I muttered a quick spell of search, and tossed the sand in an arc towards the fork. The grains of sand fluttered momentarily in the air then as they began to settle, I drew my sword and cut across them, finishing the spell. The grains of sand stilled in mid air before swerving towards the right and landing in a heap.

The spell had worked! I had to take the road angling off to the right. I bent and touched the sand with my finger. It burst into action. The sand formed an arrow and sped away down the street, guiding me towards the house of the little mage. I raced behind it, running past houses and shops. The arrow stopped at a wall, then shot straight up and crossed it. I stomped my foot into the ground and sailed over it just in time to see the sand arrow dive into an underpass. I shot behind it. It had stopped at the base of a flight of stairs. As I reached the base, the sand arrow sped up the stairs, across the roof and stopped. We had arrived.

I recognised the house. The sand had led me straight to the mage. I bent to scoop it in my hands. The sand curled into a ball and gladly jumped back into my palm. Pulling the purse out of my sleeve again, I slid the sand back. Running my eyes around, I made sure nobody had followed. There was no one around who could have seen me, cloaked in fog as I was. I turned towards the wall and leaped gracefully into the air. As I landed on the roof to the mage's attic, I glanced at the sword at my hip. I lifted the latch on the skylight and dissolved into air once more. The purple smoke that filtered into the attic was me. The room was empty so I meandered around the room directionless. Ignoring Pai Mei's threats, I placed the sword inside my pentacle. I couldn't touch the pentacle where the mage had stood; the mandrake used by the mage for security stung my essence. Having your essence slowly and painfully cut away wasn't pleasant by any standard, and I wasn't about to subject myself to that ordeal for no reason.

Pai Mei fidgeted inside the pentacle. _"What witchcraft is this? Take me out of this accursed symbol!"_

There was no need to disguise myself here, so I drew away the veil of fog surrounding me and stood in my true form. Pai Mei clattered noisily on the ground as he attempted to move out of the pentacle. I stretched an arm and held him down.

"This is magery and you will suffer it quietly."

"_And why should I do that?" _Pai Mei spat back at me. He really has such scandalous manners. It's outrageous, the liberties I have allowed him.

"The price is my freedom."

The sword clattered once more as another sound echoed in my ears. It was the sound of laughter; bitter and cruel laughter. There is nothing more unsettling than the laughter of a man who has seen the truth of the world.

"_The price is your freedom? Does a djinn have any freedom?"_ The sword gleamed. _"A djinn has no freedom. All it has is power and a command to follow. It must answer the call of its master. Isn't that why you are here?"_

His words rankled in my heart. "I have no master."

"_Except… for this mage."_

"He is not my master!"

"_Then why do you do his bidding Djinn? Fly away now! What stops you?"_

I shook. My helplessness in the face of the mage's incantation cut at my heart. I was compelled to do the bidding of a child because he had found my name. He had my name and there was nothing that I could do to stop him. I had to serve him.

"He…. has my name. That is why I serve him, by my name. Pai Mei, there nothing more I want than to be free of him, but till he has my name I must obey. I must….but only till he has my name."

Pai Mei was silent. He could say nothing more. I turned away and sat facing the skylight. The sun had risen. Light filtered inside the attic. I waited for the mage to reappear.

At first I did not hear it, but Pai Mei repeated himself. _"Take your name away from him then."_

I froze and turned back towards him. "What did you say?"

"_I said 'take your name away from him'_," the sword shimmered. It knew I was listening. _"The mage can hold you hostage only as long as you let him. Take away the power your name gives him and he will have nothing to bind you with."_

"That's impossible. My name is my soul, and he knows it."

"_A djinn's soul can be held captive against his wishes, but……_"

I leaned forward. "But, what?"

"_A djinn's soul may be held captive, but a mortal's is not so easily conquered."_

I sat back again. All the excitement he had roused in me washed away. He was making no sense. I was djinn, not a mortal. I hadn't been a mortal for centuries.

"I am not a mortal. I am a djinn, in case you forgot."

"_True. You're not a mortal……now. But……you could be."_

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**Author's Notes**

Hey all.

I took a sabbatical on this story. It's been about a year since I last updated it. I hope there are still some people around who are reading it.

Excuse the typos and possible spelling mistakes. I think I may have missed a few, I'm not sure. I just hope you all like it.

Thank you.


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